


Eternal

by laugh_a_latte



Category: One Piece
Genre: Early Mornings, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, anxiety mentions, post wci pre wano, the fluff will come I promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-05
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-05 15:34:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,966
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15173810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/laugh_a_latte/pseuds/laugh_a_latte
Summary: Shortly after the events at Whole Cake Island, something is bothering the captain and Sanji just wants to help.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing this thing and really want to write more, but have this for now. <3

The gentle lull of the ocean waves, the dark grey skies soon to be tinted orange, and the still quietness that only existed at this time were a few of the reasons why Sanji loved the mornings. Ever since returning from Whole Cake Island, he enjoyed them for a different reason as well. In the past few days since their return the crew had been treating him a little differently. It was hardly noticeable, but so bothersome. Of course, they were happy to have their cook and nakama back. Sanji knew this, and he was so glad to be back. It was the little things that put him on edge. 

Sometimes, they were a little too friendly. Twice now he heard concerned whispers from both the mens and womens quarters as he passed. They saw how he acted around his blood family, witnessed how the name Vinsmoke cut him, but none knew his true past. They were speculative. A few times now he would enter a room just to see the gaze pass his way and all conversation stop, like they were talking about him. He knew they were.

Now, the mornings were the only time of day that felt like before. This morning just had to be different.

Sanji was currently in the process of cooking the morning’s meat, and he’d need plenty of it considering who his captain was. Luffy had been eating more than usual ever since Sanji returned, complimenting his cooking more and more. Sanji didn’t need any of it.

And as he was fixing the heat on the bacon, he sensed a familiar presence close by. He exhaled on his cigarette. How unusual, it was only past four and the crew usually did not begin wandering in until past six. He sensed his captain outside, his presence now retreating further away. Curious, Sanji peered outside the dark window to see a silhouette sitting cross legged on the figurehead.

This was odd, Luffy was rarely ever up this early. Sanji could recall the few times Luffy would barge into the kitchen, loud and brash, begging Sanji for some food when his hunger woke him up early. Sometimes Luffy would retreat to his favorite spot after that, but this was something new.

Sanji checked the meat again, and deeming it okay to keep cooking, retrieved his coffee, made up a second one for Luffy, and stepped outside. 

The morning air was crisp and blissfully cool. Sanji was grateful for his hoodie, but he knew he’d be ditching it once the heat of the sun rose. The sky had not yet colored, dark and dotted with stray clouds still. The millions of stars shone beautifully. Sanji admired it for another moment before making his was across the lawn, up the stairs and and past the helm to his captain. He paused right below the figurehead, exhaling another stream of smoke. Luffy turned his head to face him.

“Sanji,” Luffy stated simply as a smile filled his face, like Sanji was greatest sight to behold. That was just the captain, though. Everything he did, he did with every ounce of energy.

“Mornin’,” Sanji replied. He never sat atop the figurehead, but this morning he made his way up the steps to stand just behind it. He pushed the mug of coffee into Luffy’s hands and took a sip of his own, nicotine and caffeine working wonders together, leaning on the Sunny’s mane.

“Coffee? You could’ve at least brought me meat!”

“It’s still cooking. You’re up early.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Luffy pouted, taking a sip from his mug after looking at it’s complete not-meatness with disgust.

“Oh yeah?” Sanji regarded Luffy as something clicked in his mind. The captain had been looking noticeably more tired, circles forming under his eyes, which, eternally bright, now shone dimmer. Since his return, Luffy was always now first to the kitchen for breakfast, when normally that position would go to Robin or Zoro, Luffy bursting in later. “I never thought sleep could be a problem for you,” was all he could say. Luffy normally slept almost as much as Zoro.

Luffy just laughed, “Right?” But then the smile was gone and Luffy just looked . . . sad and slightly pensive. And it shocked Sanji so much that he almost let his cigarette fall.

Luffy turned his head away and looked back across the vast dark ocean. Sanji stayed put, wondering what could be troubling his eternally cheerful captain so much.

“Luffy is . . . are you okay?”

“Yes, of course!” Luffy turned to face him again. Liar, Sanji thought.

“Okay,” Sanji replied. “Why don’t you come inside, it’s chilly out here,” Other than the always present straw hat, Luffy was merely wearing a loose fitting vest and shorts, the idiot. Not even sandals.

Luffy smiled and jumped off the figurehead, following Sanji back to the kitchen in silence. Odd, considering how loud Luffy always was.

By the time they returned, the whole room smelled like sizzling bacon, and the first batch was done cooking. Sanji gave it to him, and Luffy finished it off by the time Sanji poured the grease out of the pan.

“Ahhh Delicious! Ehhh Sanji, can I have more?” Luffy begged with his puppy dog eyes.

“It’ll take at least another twenty minutes or so for this batch to be done,” Sanji said, chuckling under his breath. Luffy sighed loudly, pouting once more. This was more like the Luffy Sanji knew.

“Can’t you cook it faster?”

“We’ve been over this many times, Luffy,” Sanji cracked some eggs into a new skillet, frowning at the meager supply he had left. They’d only gotten so much food from Whole Cake Island after Luffy had decimated all of his ingredients and most of the kitchen. “We’re going to have to stop at an island for more ingredients. I don’t think what we have will last us to Wano Kuni.”

“I”ll ask Nami where to go once she gets up,” Luffy replied.

More minutes ticked by. Soon Luffy started hovering behind Sanji clutching his emptying mug (“Staring at the bacon won’t make it cook faster, Luffy”) whining every few seconds for more to eat. After the second batch was done and gone, Sanji decided to ask again.

“So, why can’t you sleep?” Sanji asked, Luffy still hovering over his shoulder practically drooling. Luffy didn’t answer immediately, so Sanji glanced over at his captain. Luffy looked pensive again instead of hungry. Sanji halted for a moment.

“I don’t like what I see when I sleep, so I don’t want to,” Luffy looked into Sanji’s eyes and Sanji understood.

“You’ve been having bad dreams, huh?” Luffy nodded. Sanji looked back to his cooking and exhaled another stream of smoke. In the nights leading up to the wedding, or when he was at Germa, Sanji would have nightmares, too. He never thought Luffy would be one to get nightmares, and the idea made Luffy more human and less, well, less Luffy.

“I see bad things about _you_ when I sleep,” Luffy continued. Sanji paused, not expecting Luffy to keep talking, especially not about his nightmares content, which consisted of . . . him? Sanji glanced back at his captain, who was staring emptily at a spot on the wall in front of him. “I see us failing to save you, I see us not making it out, I see you dying, Sanji,” Luffy’s eyes snapped back to his, voice catching, “I can’t take it.”

“Luffy . . .” Sanji was surprised. Luffy looked so upset that it hurt Sanji to see. He didn’t want Luffy to look like thar ever. He’d never seen him so distraught and tired. He wanted to help, but did not know how. This was unfamiliar territory.

“I’m so happy you’re alive and home, Sanji,” Luffy said. Sanji thought he finally understood just why Luffy had been eating more and complimenting his food more. It wasn’t for his sake, it was for Luffy’s own. His captain thought he nearly lost him and dreamed of failing their last mission each night. Of _course_.

As Sanji tried to process this new information, Luffy jumped on him and engulfed him in a hug, catching Sanji completely off guard.

“You’re here,” Luffy said into his shoulder. “Sometimes when I wake up after seeing those things, I’m so scared you won’t be here anymore.”

“Luffy . . .” Sanji could not believe it. “I’ll always be here, always.”

Luffy let him free of the hug and looked at Sanji seriously. “I meant what I said back there.”

Sanji knew immediately that Luffy was referring to what he yelled at Sanji as he was being carried away into the chateau. _Without you, I can’t become King of the Pirates._

Never in his life had Sanji ever felt more needed, more _wanted._ He grew up hated, ignored, forgotten, abandoned. Every now and then, in his worst moments, past feelings would resurface in a wave of doubt and anxiety that he was just a burden to the crew, to everyone around him. Even though he knew it was not true, those feelings were so overwhelming that he couldn’t take it. What Luffy said back on the chateau made him feel more important than anything else in the world, and from there he knew he would never leave Luffy again.

“I don’t know what happened to you, Sanji,” Luffy continued, “but even I could see how your blood family made you feel, and I won’t ever let anyone do that to you again. I need you, Sanji.”

Sanji felt something swell inside of him, and he swallowed. “I’m not going anywhere, Luffy.”

Luffy searched his eyes as Sanji said those words, then he broke into a smile and a laugh. “Good!”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing this fic a lot :')

This time, it was just past five when Sanji sensed his captain’s presence. It was raining lightly outside and the sky was barely beginning to pink. This weather was lovely now, but begged for humidity when the heat came. Inside, Sanji was oblivious to this as he busied with breakfast preparations.

However, unlike yesterday, Sanji heard the door creak open as he plated bacon and ham for his captain, the coffee already poured. Sanji turned towards the noise to see Luffy entering. His tired eyes quickly lit up as he smiled.

“Sanji!”

“Mornin’,” Sanji said, sliding the plate down the table and pressing the warm mug into Luffy’s hands.

“Ooooh!! Is this for me?” Luffy asked, already reaching for his breakfast.

“Who else would it be for?” Sanji laughed, returning to his cooking. He heard Luffy devour the meat behind him. However, this morning Sanji was prepared and filled Luffy’s plate again before he could even ask.

“Sanji you’re so awesome!” Luffy sang through his mouthful.

“I was just ahead of you this morning, is all,” Sanji truly didn’t like compliments. _Really_ he didn’t.

In the following hour Luffy was more talkative than last morning. The next island, according to Nami, would be coming up not today, but the next. There they would stop and reload on supplies before continuing their voyage to Wano. The two discussed what their fellow crewmates could possibly be up to at this point. Sanji was happy to see Luffy liven up more during the discussion, happy to see him distracted from any bad thoughts.

“I hope they’re all staying together! I’ve had it with separations” Luffy remarked.

“I think they’ll be fine on their own,” Sanji replied. “Except maybe Zoro,” he added as an afterthought.

Luffy laughed, “I can see him getting lost right now!” he said, followed by a strikingly accurate imitation of a lost Zoro, which caused Sanji to lose it.

“How does that mosshead even survive, it’s a miracle honestly,” Sanji replied. Luffy giggled as the door swung open. 

“Good morning Sanji-san, Luffy-san!” Brooked greeted cheerfully. And, while Brook was always fun to be around, Sanji couldn’t help feel a little disappointed that his morning with Luffy was interrupted.

~~~~~

The next morning Sanji rolled out of bed early as always, showered and dressed as always, and made his way back to the kitchen to begin his day. He lit his first cigarette before pushing open the door.

Unlike always, at the table sat his captain, slumped in the seat, head in his arms, snoring softly. Sanji halted at the sight and sighed. Last night must have been a bad one for his captain for him to end up here, like this, and the thought upset Sanji. He knew it was useless to try and wake him like a normal human, so he set about cooking the meat first to wake his sleeping captain. Best to give him what rest he could get, anyways.

But, that could not be very comfortable position to sleep in. Sanji crossed his arms and frowned. On second thought, why was Luffy even here? Well, he supposed if his captain was going to fall asleep somewhere that was not his bed, the kitchen was better than the figurehead. Sanji sighed again and put the meat on. Best get to it.

As Sanji set the fire’s heat on and laid the bacon out, he heard his captain move behind him. Sanji turned to see Luffy still asleep, but fidgeting. He mumbled as well, but what he was saying, Sanji couldn’t make out. Luffy must be dreaming, he figured. He continued cooking the meat in an attempt to wake his captain from the smell. No nightmares in this kitchen.

“Please, don’t leave . . .” Sanji heard from behind him, causing his anxiety to stir. He needed to wake Luffy up now. With the bacon on, Sanji went to his captain and shook his shoulder.

“Luffy, wake up.”

“Sanji, don’t leave . . .” Luffy mumbled. Sanji’s heart sunk.

“Luffy, I’m not leaving. Please wake up,” Sanji said again, louder this time, shaking his captain more forcefully. He knew it was useless, and the only thing that would work was finally sizzling.

Finally, Luffy stirred under Sanji’s hand, mumbling. He lifted his head quickly, startling Sanji, whose hand quickly retreated.

“Sanji!” he said, still waking up. Luffy rubbed at his eyes as they focused before he looked up at Sanji. A grin broke out on his face once more. “Sanji!”

“Luffy,” Sanji replied, still a little shaken. Luffy sniffed the air.

“Is that meat?”

“It’s still cooking, but it’s yours as soon as it’s done.”

“Sanji, you’re the best!” Sanji grinned in response, but was still worried on the inside. He decided it best to hold off any questions until his captain ate something.

“Here,” Sanji placed a mug of coffee on the table next to Luffy, who sneered at it’s non-meatness as always before drinking it anyways. “It’s not meat but it’ll fully wake you up,” he continued as he returned to the stove top.

“I had another bad dream,” Luffy said suddenly after a minute or two’s silence. Sanji paused only for a moment, biting back the _I know_ that rose to his lips.

“Do you want to talk about it?” He said instead.

“I don’t know,” Luffy replied. A couple minutes of silence passed. Sanji let it.

“You were in it. And you were leaving again,” Luffy continued quietly after a while. Sanji took a drag on his cigarette. “But you didn’t really leave.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“I’m so confused,” Luffy replied, emotion rising in his voice. Sanji turned around to see Luffy looking distraught again. Sanji wanted to comfort him dearly, but could only listen

“You left, but you came back. I know that happened, so then why do I keep seeing you leaving again? I don’t like these dreams, why can’t they _stop?_ ” Luffy inhaled sharply before continuing, quieter. “It’s like the opposite of when Ace died. I knew he was gone in real life, but he kept coming back in my dreams. Sometimes they were good dreams, sometimes not, but when I woke up, I knew he wasn’t coming back.”

Sanji was at a loss for what to say.

“But when I woke up this morning, after watching you leave, I got to see you right here. Even if I have dreams of you leaving, at least I know you’ll be here when I wake up,” Luffy continued, more to himself than to Sanji.

“I will always be here when you wake up, right here in this kitchen. I won’t leave again, Luffy.”

“I know,” Luffy sighed staring into his mug. His gaze flickered to Sanji’s eyes. “I know.”

Sanji did not want to push his captain any further, and was trying to find something better to discuss, but just couldn’t think straight right now.

“When I couldn’t sleep last night,” Luffy continued after a moment, “I thought maybe being in here would help. I didn’t mean to fall asleep here, but you’re so calming, Sanji, and it’s just so _you_ in here,” Luffy looked up at Sanji, a grin filling his face once more.

Sanji faltered again as he placed a plate of bacon in front of Luffy, which distracted the captain, to Sanji’s relief. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He always forgot just how cunning Luffy could be when it came to people, especially his nakama. He could see right through every one of them and knew their person that well. It was incredible, really.

Thinking back on what Luffy had said before, Sanji was hoping his captain’s nightmares would have continued diminishing like they had the other night, but this type of thing wasn’t so black and white, and he should have known from his own experience. He supposed it was just odd seeing his ever-optimistic captain in such a state, and it honestly shook him a bit. More than anything, he just wanted to help.

Sanji took another drag on his cigarette before returning to his work with plenty to think about.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, comments and kudos feed my hungry soul :)


End file.
